Just a thief?
by Foenix Nightshade
Summary: An encounter with a young thief may send Ratchet into a new adventure, especially when he gets to know the child. Kind of puts Ratchet in a bit of a fatherly role. Made just after watching Disney's Aladdin, so don't blame the scenery. Thanks for so much support! You all are amazing!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a pointless one shot I made after practicing my archery, going to my dance lessons, practicing for my recital which I think is in June (gonna be doing _Be Italian_ from the movie Nine!), and watching about three disks of Inuyasha season 6. Almost finished that. And I do think...yep, I have three or four fanfiction ideas for Inuyasha... Who cares? Probably no one.**

**Anywho, I'd greatly appreciate a few reviews.  
**

Though it is quite hot (and most would find it uncomfortable) on the planet Deresan, a certain familiar finds it quite relaxing. Being a Lombax, he is just fine in the planet's natural desert climate, seeing as it is his species' natural environment. This familiar is a Lombax by the name of Ratchet Nebula. He is known universally as the hero of the universe. Not here on Deresan, though. The residents have yet to identify him as the hero he is, but he's just fine with that. It provides him with a more peaceful environment for relaxing and just thinking. He isn't one to ponder, but he needs to at the moment, and he needs peace for that.

For once in over half a decade, Ratchet is seen without his robotic friend, Clank. About three weeks ago, Sigmund had contacted Clank, panicked, saying there were major problems at the Great Clock, and only Clank could fix those problems. As a result, Clank had gone to assist Sigmund, telling Ratchet that he would return as soon as everything had been finished.

During Clank's absence, Ratchet had taken the opportunity to return to all of the places he had been to in his previous adventures: Veldin, Pokitaru, Cobalia, Mukow, Fastoon…Toren IV…

After he had visited every planet, moon, and asteroid on his charts (collecting a few lost Zoni along the way and making a note to return them next time he was at the Great Clock), he did not return home. Instead of returning to Kerwan, he decided to do a little exploring of worlds he had never been to before. The first had been quite dangerous, crawling with Leviathans, space pirates, and all sorts of nasty creatures that would kill him without a second thought.

The second, and previous planet, held nothing of interest. It had been but a desolate marshland, infested with bugs and a few small reptiles. It is at his current location, Planet Deresan, where our story begins.

We find Ratchet in the busy market of a fairly large and diverse town. The golden Lombax is taking everything in, from the colors and architecture to the sounds and smells. The town itself seems to be something pulled out of the _Arabian Nights_. The buildings, tall and close together, are the color of wet sand, roofs flat. Merchants stand under colorful awnings, trying to catch the attention of potential buyers. Children are gallivanting about, playing, while men and women mill about, either searching or buying. In the distance, at the center of the town, a large white and gold castle-like structure looms above all of the other buildings. All seemed peaceful. Until…

"Stop, _thief_!" a voice cries out suddenly. At the mention of a thief, Ratchet turns. A small creature is fleeing from a merchant, easily outrunning the large man. The child moves too fast for Ratchet to tell exactly what it is, but he catches a glimpse of sandy-white and coal black. The young one weaves this way and that to avoid carts, people, animals, and such as the merchant struggles to keep pace.

The merchant stops next to Ratchet, breathing heavily. "Nasty little fucker," he says, glaring after the child. Looking over at Ratchet, he continues, "That filthy rat's been a-stealin' me apples again! I swear; I can't take it no more! Someone ought to do somethin' 'bout it. I say the Guardians ought to lock him up in the dungeon!"

"How long has he been a problem?" Ratchet asks, simply out of habit.

"'Bout six or seven years or so," the merchant replies. "That damn kit is always stealin' me apples." He shakes his head in disgust. "Once I catch him, he'll wish he ne'er set eye on me apples, I swear ta Allah on that!"

"There's no need for that. Maybe I could just talk to him," Ratchet suggests, not wanting any young one to be hurt for such a simple thing. He then glances at the merchant. "And I'll pay for all the apples he has stolen in the past six months."

The merchant looks at Ratchet incredulously. "You'd do that? Fer a thief?"

The Lombax shrugs absently, still staring out towards the alley the child had disappeared in. "He's a street-kid. Nothing more. What else would you expect from one who's probably starving out there with no home or family? He can't find a decent thing to eat just lying about, so he steals to survive. I bet I can talk sense into him." _I can relate, after all,_ he added silently. Without another word, he follows the child's trail at a lively pace.

It is fairly easy for Ratchet to follow the young thief; the boy had left deep tracks in his flight, not bothering to cover them in his rush to escape the angry apple-seller. After about fifteen minutes walking, the tracks become shallower, indicating that the young thief had slowed his pace. These tracks are also a lot fresher than the previous. He is close.

"Li nan oke," a voice says suddenly. Ratchet stops and listens. "Pa enkyete yo, mwen pa pral fè ou mal." The voice is one of a young boy, possibly the same one Ratchet is searching for. He follows the tracks until they turn sharply to the left. Peering around the corner, he sees two small figures. The taller one, hidden in shadows, is likely to be the young apple thief.

The boy holds an apple out to the other, a very young Novalian girl. She seems frightened, but slowly relaxes as the thief speaks to her calmly. "Ou ka genyen li," he says. "Mwen pa reyèlman bezwen li tout ki anpil. Ale sou. Li nan oke." Slowly, the girl reaches for the bright red apple, snatching it away from him the second her hand touches it. A small chuckle is heard from the other.

"Ashica!" a harsh voice calls out suddenly. The girl turns her head towards the voice. "Kote ye ou? Jwenn plis pase isit la, lari-sourit!" She stiffens, dropping the apple, and hurries away.

"Worry you not, Manke Ashica. It won't be long." Ratchet blinks. Is this really the same boy he had been tracking just moments ago? He seems so kind. It's _possible_. Not very likely, but possible. At the worst possible time, the wind decides to pick up a little and stir up the dust. Try as he might, Ratchet cannot help but sneeze. A gasp is heard, and swift footsteps recede from the area. Ratchet rushes around the corner, but there is no sign of the thief.

**Okay... I think I lied. I kinda like this actually. Gives me something for when I'm bored and have writer's stand-still. Hope you enjoyed this little fling. The alternate language I used in this was my attempt at Haitian Creole. I'd like some reviews, and who knows? This may turn into a full-fledged story. Review please? Thank you! And good day :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh, wow. One review within the first few hours, and another the next day? Thank you:) I didn't expect that. Anywho, I'm not really in the mood for babble right now, so I'll just let you read.**

The sky is a rosy pink right now. It's always like that, but it never ceases to amaze me with its beauty. The first few jewels begin to invade the sky. Sometimes I wonder what it's like among the stars. At those times, I wonder if I will ever get off Deresan.

But then I wake up from my dream, and I find my reality once again. I'm a street kid. No home, no family. Most nights, I go to sleep hungry, and I barely ever get a decent meal. The only time I do is when I steal, and, well, I prefer not to. Except from Jarûntó; he sells excellent red apples. I really enjoy it on those occasions when he chases after me. He'll never catch me though. He's too fat, and I'm too fast.

I take a couple apples from him about two or three times a month, depending on how hard it is to find food. Today was one of those days. Kasich, another street kid, chased me off, claiming my findings as his. Stupid meanie. I thought about teaching him a lesson or two, but I decided against it. So I went to Jarûntó's stall and swiped myself two perfect red apples. Enraged, he chased after me, but his stupidity allowed some other street kids to grab some, too. At least most of us are smart enough to take opportunities when presented.

After outrunning Jarûntó, I started towards the place I guess could be labeled as mine. A strange thing happened. I saw that little Novalian girl again. Her name is Ashica. She's very pretty, but she's a slave. It makes me sad to see her so afraid, so hurt. I want to help her, but…I don't know how I can. I gave her one of my apples. I was so happy when she took it from me. But she dropped it when her master called for her. Her master is one of the Guardians. He's rude, and mean, and just plain ugly. Like a bulldog.

I think I may have been followed when I left the apple-seller behind. After the incident with Ashica, the wind stirred up the dust like it always does. It didn't bother me all that much, but I heard someone else sneeze as a result. I didn't think at all. Forgetting Ashica's dropped apple, I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran until I was completely out of breath, and kept running until I got to the small hovel I call home, collapsing on the floor when I finally stopped. Actually, that's where I am now. I'm just laying here like the lazy feline I am. No one can compare me to a feline but myself, understood?

Excellent.

Now, you're probably wondering by now: who, by Allah and hell's fury, is this kid? Well, let me introduce myself. I am Rishindaili. Most people call me Rishi for short. I don't know what people call my species, so I named it myself: Kyt. Everyone who doesn't know my name calls me that, so I just went with it. I'm sandy-white in color mostly, except for the black stripes set in threes on my ears, tail, and various other places. I once asked an old friend of mine what color my eyes are. He told me that one was green and the other was violet. I find that kinda strange. Oh, well. It's me, so I guess I'll live with it.

I saw some stupid kid get hauled off by the Guardians. There's always one of us who is stupid enough to take an unnecessary chance. This time is was a Nocturne by the name of Mais, Mali's older cousin. He tried swiping an amulet from the jeweler as well as the lady's bolts. Idiot. Even _I_ know better than to try something that daft. More and more of us are getting caught these days. It's beginning to worry me. Either we're getting clumsy, or, Allah forbid, the Guardians are getting smarter!

I laugh at the thought. You can't really blame me. Those Guardians, even the Captain himself, is as dumb as a rock. They've tried hundreds of times to catch me, but none have been successful. They make it so easy! Last time, I ended up dumping a pot of honey over the Captain's head and making him fall into a chicken pen. I laughed so hard that I nearly fell off the roof. I just love it when stuff like that happens.

Then I go home. It's kinda lonesome here with no one to talk to. Sure, sometimes one of the other street kids will drop by for a safe place to stay, and someone to give the street gossip to, but… I'm alone mostly. I lost my brother and sister a few years ago to sickness. I nearly died myself from grief. Then Jamil came along. He would hang out with me every day. We had the best of fun, and the most amazing adventures. But… then… he took a risk… The Guardians caught him. I wanted to help him, but he told me not to. I haven't heard from him since, and that was two years ago.

But other than being alone, life is great. No adult to tell me what to do; nowhere I have to be; and nothing to do but lay around all day and play. I love life sometimes.

"Yare! The Festival's tomorrow, and I have to be ready!" I hear suddenly. I sit up at this. I can't believe it! The Fire Festival, one of the biggest celebrations on Deresan, is tomorrow! I wonder what I'll end up doing for the talent show. There's a talent show, you see. Anyone can enter, even us street kids. I haven't entered but once a long time ago. I plan to this year. Maybe I'll actually have a chance with my skills. Maybe I'll try a magic act? I shrug to myself. That might not work; plenty of people can do simple tricks like that.

I stand up and begin to pace. What to do; what to do? I can speak a lot of different languages. Nah. Maybe… well, I could demonstrate my skills with a weapon. Or a wrench. I turn around and pace in the opposite direction. I sigh, remembering that I only have a dagger. And last time I held a wrench was when my parents were still around. That was a long time ago. I turn again, tapping my chin. I begin to mutter under my breath. That muttering turns into whistling, and then it hits me.

I've always been told that my voice is fairly decent… Mayhaps I could try that? I'm not sure. I'm quiet skeptical. Or I could play an instrument, such as a flute. I still have one my father made a long time ago. I ought to ask Mali what I should do. She's smart. I'm half convinced that she's psychic. She could tell me what I should do. Yes. I think I will ask her.

I look outside to see the last rays of sunlight disappearing from existence. I'll wait until tomorrow morning to ask her. I can't wait!

I just hope I have a chance.

**You know…this…was fun to write. I enjoy writing in this character's perspective. Can anyone guess what he is? If not, I guess that's kind of good. It works. Yep.**

**Anywho, some really nice reviewers asked me to write more, so I obliged them, writing this little bit. Two and a half pages about on size 12, Times New Roman. Neat.**

**So, I'm gonna stop babbling by asking you sweetly for a review (please? *insert puppy dog eyes*) and mention my love for the music I'm a listening to: "Wretches and Kings" by Linkin Park. I'm eclectic, so don't judge me please. Thank you :D**

**Peace, Laters, whatever it is you like to hear, and I'm gonna practice a dance I made for the song I'm listening to. **

**Please review, and have an excellent day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow…this story is actually more popular than I thought. It hadn't been up even a week, and I've gotten four reviews! Okay. No more ranting for now. I'm gonna find some Celldweller to listen to while you read. Hope you enjoy it! :)**

Ratchet's Perspective

It's almost dark out. I should probably find some place to stay. I don't think I want to walk all the way back to Aphelion in the dark (who knows what lurks out here at night). Besides, her seats aren't the most comfortable to sleep in. I wonder if I can find a hotel. I ask around a little bit, and finally learn about two taverns that also double as hotels. One is in the wealthier part of town, while the other is somewhere around here. There it is, just down the street. It looks to be a small, one story building. It doesn't look too well kept. Ah, well, I'm not complaining. Besides, I'm too tired to go wandering about searching for the other one.

I enter through what I assume must be the front door, and glance around. Not too bad, actually. Looks better on the inside than out. A girl suddenly appears from a room to my right. I don't think I've ever seen anything like her before. Her skin is dark, the same color as her hair: a midnight blue, it seems. She has a tail, but the end is like an arrowhead instead of a bush like mine. Her dress is a simple dull brown. Upon seeing me, she curtsies, and says, "Welcome to Nightmaster's Tavern. How might I be of service to you, sir?" She sounds like she's no older than eight. That's kinda strange.

I nod to her politely. "I'm looking for a place to stay the night. Can you help me with that?"

"Of course, sir," she replies. "A room for one night is five bolts, sir."

"Really?" I ask, surprised. So cheap! She nods, eyes lowered respectably. "All right. I would like a room for tonight, please."

"Of course." She bows to me. "If you would follow me, sir, I shall show you to your room."

"Thanks." The young girl leads me silently through the curtain covering the left doorway. I follow as she leads me down the hall, stopping when she does at the fifth door on the right side. She opens the door, showing me in.

The room is undecorated and sparsely furnished. A bed sits beneath a curtained window, and a small table with a drawer is set beside it. I step inside while giving her ten bolts.

As I am setting my wrench against the wall, she says, "Excuse me, sir, but you…" I glance back at her, silently telling her that I know of my excess payment. Seeming shocked, she bows to me once again. "Thank you very much, sir. Would you like some tea before your rest?"

"Tea?" My head tilts sideways in thought. I can't remember the last time I had tea, if ever. "Sure," I say after a short amount of time. "Might as well."

"Would you prefer chamomile or mint?"

I've never heard of either, so I ask, "What do you suggest?"

"I…I am afraid I cannot say," she says, rising. "I have not had either."

"All right, then," I say, smiling slightly. "Bring both. And four cups as well."

Her brow furrows, uncertain and confused at my request, but she says nothing. She bends at her waist before straightening, and rushing off to make the concoction. As I wait patiently, I sit on the bed.

It isn't long before the girl returns with a tray that contains four cups and two steaming green-colored teapots. She sets the tray down on the floor, and then takes one of the cups off another, turning it over and setting it down on the tray. Then she picks up one of the teapots and, holding down the lid, pours the light green liquid in the cup.

She puts the pot back on the tray then picks up the cup and hands it to me. "Thank you, but this one is yours." I give it back to her before I turn the other cup over, copying what she had done with the same teapot.

My companion had yet to take a sip from her cup, seeming surprised. I take my cup and raise it towards her. Then I take a small sip, tasting the tea. It's refreshing and clears my head, soothing me. I like it. Maybe I should have tea more often. "Is it uncommon for you to have kind guests?" I ask curiously.

For a moment, she looks up from the cup in her hands, surprised. "Yes, sir," she says quickly.

"Huh…I wonder why," I say, pondering out loud. "I mean, you're so nice. I see no reason why someone shouldn't be nice back. Oh! By the way, I'm Ratchet. What's your name?"

"Um…" She looks uncertain, but she soon gets over her hesitation. "My name is Mali." She finally sips her tea. I can tell she likes it. We are silent until we finish the first cup of tea, and Mali takes the other cups to fill them with the other tea, which I suspect is the mint tea. She hands me one cup, taking the other for herself, before finally deigning to speak.

"I bet you're wondering what I am, are you not, Mister Ratchet?" she asks. I blink at her, surprised. How did she know that? She suddenly seems embarrassed. "I'm sorry…It's just…I can read people easier than most."

"No need to apologize," I say kindly. "And I must admit that you're right. I don't think I've seen your kind before."

"Nor I, yours, sir," she replies. "I am what is called a Nocturne. We are native to Deresan. The word means 'Night Wanderer.' It's actually quite fitting. We are a nocturnal race, you see."

"How interesting," I say. I have _got_ to mention this to Clank when he gets back from the Clock!

"And…you, sir…?" she inquires hesitantly.

"Lombax," I say. "Native to the desert planet Fastoon. Ehm…heh…Can't really tell you much more than that. I didn't really grow up among them."

"Would you mind me asking why?"

I smile. Here we go. Another recount from one of my many adventures. "I grew up on the planet Veldin in the Solana Galaxy," I say. "My father sent me there when Fastoon was attacked by a Cragmite by the name of Percival Tachyon."

Mali stiffens. "_The_ Percival Tachyon?"

I shrug. "Only one I know."

"I know about him!" Mali exclaims. "He was here searching for this 'Lombax Secret' thing four years ago! I don't remember it very well, but I was there. He destroyed our home, and nearly made us Nocturne's extinct!"

I sigh. Yet another civilization obliterated by that blasted Cragmite. Thank Orvus he's dead. "He's dead?" Mali asks suddenly. I look up at her in shock. I didn't say that out loud; I thought it! "Oh, no…" Mali mutters. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to intrude! I'm really sorry! I… just I can't control it all that very well and…"

Now I'm completely confused. I take a second to take all of her words in. The conclusion I come up with seems nigh on impossible. "Are you…psychic?" I ask, sounding very doubtful.

She nods, looking down shamefully. "It's uncommon, but still heard of among my people. I'm really, really sorry! I swear I didn't mean to read your mind, but I couldn't stop it! I know it's no excuse, but-"

I hold up a hand, cutting her off. "Relax," I say calmly. "It's okay. Actually, I find it kind of neat. I've never met a psychic before. I'm not offended or anything just cause you couldn't control yourself."

"You're not…mad…?" she asks timidly, looking up at me.

"Course not!"

She visibly relaxes and looks at me with curious eyes. "How did Tachyon die?"

"I killed him," I say matter-of-factly. She looks at me, eyes wide and curious. "You might want to make yourself comfortable. It's a long story."

The two of us stay up past midnight as I tell her the story about my adventure and the struggle against Tachyon. It's about two in the morning when I finish. When I look at Mali, I see that she has fallen asleep. I smile. She looks so adorable! She stirs, muttering, "I heard that, Mais…" She rolls over and falls back into her slumber. I wonder who Mais is.

I shrug to myself before picking Mali up from the hard floor. I set her in the bed before lying down at the foot of the bed. It isn't long before my exhaustion overwhelms me and drags me into the dark world of dreams.

**It took me FOREVER to get this done! I'm sorry it took so long, but, while I was at the Austin Mall, I pulled out my mother's computer and read through what I had already, and voila! I figured out what to write!**

**I hope y'all enjoyed. How about you tell me what you thought. Maybe give me a review please…?**

**Anywhos, peace, laters, whatever it is you like to say.**

**Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is so cool! I'm on chapter four and I have eight reviews on this story!**

**(I don't believe it used to just be a one-shot or whatever it's called)**

**Oh, shut up, Z, and let them read. Drake, if you would? Cause I been forgetting.  
**

**(*sigh* Idiot.)**

**Hey! Just do it!**

**(Alright. Foenix Nightshade does not own Ratchet & Clank. They and their world belong to ... Insomniac, right?)**

**Yep!**

**(Foenix Nightshade owns Rishi, Mali, the planet Deresan, and pretty much everything on said planet.)**

**Thank you.**

**Now...read.**

Rishi's Perspective

Music created by drums, pipes, gourds, and a whole manner of stringed instruments makes itself known over the excited clamor of the Fire Festival. People crowd against each other. Most are tourists looking through the imported goods. The streets are worse than they were yesterday. And I thought Market Days were bad. Yeesh! Now I know why we never came to these things.

The talent show is at sun-high. I can't believe this, but I've yet to see any sign of Mali. She's always out and about during this time of day, lurking somewhere in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Not today, though. Maybe the Innkeeper… Oh, by Allah! Now what am I supposed to do?

Mali is a worker at the Nightmaster's Tavern. Not that she gets paid or anything. "Riff-raff never gets paid," they always say. Kalen, the Innkeeper, must have made her stay inside. Well, drat!

I sigh in annoyance as I walk past Jarûntó's stall, swiping an apple absentmindedly. He doesn't even notice. I allow myself a small smile. Fool. I take a bite, enjoying the sweet-sour taste as I make my way towards Nightmaster's. It's easy to get lost in the music on days like this. It can create a whole new world of color and illusion. Trust me, I speak from experience. A couple years ago, I got so caught up in the music that I didn't escape that second reality for a full week after the Festival was over. It was really weird.

Oh, it seems that I've entertained my thoughts enough. I'm already at Nightmaster's. Time sure flies when you're occupied. I peek through the doorway, but the place is packed. Drat. I'll have to go through the back. Well, it's better than getting caught. But suddenly, I hear Mali's soft, yet familiar voice. She seemed to be explaining something.

"Mostly, people just wander around and look at the shops until sun-high…er…noon, in your terms," she said. "At noon, there is a talent show in the central courtyard. Anyone can participate, but it's mostly locals who actually do. I joined one year; I did okay, I guess. I know someone else who's going to join this year. He doesn't quite know what to do though."

"Oh, really?" an adult voice replies. "What would you suggest he do then?"

"The one thing he is ready, willing, and able to," Mali said. I see her just inside the door now. "I say he should play his flute. He made it himself, you see, and I have been wanting to hear how well he plays." How does she do that?! It's like she knows I'm here, and she knows what I need help with! I shiver, as I always do when she starts with that kind of stuff. Well, I have my answer. No need to stick around here. Now I just need to get ready.

Ratchet's Perspective

I step out into the mid-morning sun as Mali explains about how this friend of hers is entering in some sort of talent show at noon. Hm. Sounds interesting. Maybe I'll try it. What do you think, Mali? She looks at me, surprised, and blinks. She's just so cute.

"I heard that," she says, frowning and pretending to be upset, making her even cuter. After a moment, though, she stops. "I think you should. It'd be nice to have someone new. What kind of things can you do?" I thought about that. I could do a lot of things. After all, I built a ship from scratch when I was thirteen. "That's impressive," she said. I still find it weird that she can read my every thought. She automatically reacts with concern.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I can stop. I really will, I promise. Just say so, and I'll stop."

"Don't worry, Mali, I will. Now…let's see…I'm good with weapons and gadgets, and I can't stop tinkering with every single piece of tech I've got."

"Go on."

"Hmm…" I tap my chin. "That's a very good question…I can't really think of very much at the moment." I shrug, looking down at Mali. "Eh, it'll come to me later."

Mali's Perspective

I cannot believe this. Rishi was just here. At least he did not catch sight of Ratchet…I think…. I do not want to think of what would have happened if he had. If Rishi met another Lombax...I have said too much already.

On a better note, I am excited to hear him play. He has been working on that instrument of his for months. Ratchet still hasn't figured out if he wants to be in the talent show. I told him he should do it next year if he comes. It is almost sun-high now. We should probably get to the square so we can get a good view.

Rishi's Perspective

It is sun-high. The bells toll the hour, alarming all people of the exciting event that is about to take place. Every person, native or no, looks forward to the talent show. At least, that's what I have heard.

Oh, by Allah, I am so excited! I can not help it. It has been so long since I have seen a talent show, and now I am in it!

I am still thinking about what Mali had said. I now know what to do. She says I should sing. Do you find that weird? I hope not. I do not sing very often, so I do not know which song to do. I do not know very many. What do you think?

"Calivan Maziach." I turn towards the voice. It is just Miss Lana. She tells whoever is next when it is time to go up on stage.

On…stage… In front of a big crowd. I can not do this! Oh, Allah, this is bad. I should not have let myself do this! What if they find me unpleasing? What if I bore them? What if-

_Rishi!_ I jump up, surprised to hear Mali's voice. Okay, I admit it. I know for a fact that she is a…what's the word? _Telepath. Now, calm yourself. Stage-fright is natural. All you have to do is take a deep breath and stay calm. You'll be fine._ I feel her mind leave mine, and it seems as if there is an empty hole in a part of my mind. I shiver. That always feels so weird.

I stop my pacing so suddenly that I nearly fall over. I take out my flute from the belt around my waist and stare at the design. It's my finest piece. It's simple, but the small designs I carved into it make it look more complex than it actually is. Most would find creating the swirling pattern a challenge. Mali says it's easy for me because I just have a natural talent for it.

Just then, I hear a loud cheering from the crowd. Calivan must be exciting and amusing. The sun has moved slightly since sun-high. It is almost the hour after. I think I am up pretty soon. Great.

"Rishi Fazashän?" I look up at the sound of my name. Miss Lana is looking around. Nervously, I raise my hand.

"I'm here," I say. My voice sounds so small, even to me. She looks at me, then down at her list. She blinks as she looks at me again. I try to smile. Probably did not get far with that, but she smiles back at me brightly.

"I am glad you join us this year, Rishi," she says. "I am looking forward to your performance. They are all waiting for you." She gestures to the stage.

My ears fall. Great. Do I really have to do this? I do not think I want to anymore. Can't back down now. I said I would do it, so I am going to do it! Then again, curling up at home and looking out at the palace seems a lot more appealing. "Don't be nervous, kit!" a voice says behind me. I turn to see Calivan. He bent down to my level and whispered, "Don't you worry, kit. It's just a bunch of tourists and ninnies this year. You'll do just dandy."

I nod. "Thank you, Lord Maziach." I don't know why, but he suddenly started laughing.

"Dear boy," he said finally. "Call me Calivan. Now, get on up there. You're audience awaits you, young master." I square my shoulders and walk onto the stage, taking one last look at Calivan before stepping into the view of the crowd.

The crowd claps politely, but I do not look at them. I stare straight ahead until I reach center stage. Once I do, I turn towards the audience and search out Mali's face. There she is. I blink a few times. I hate how bright the sun is. I look down at the flute in my hands, and for a moment, I remain still. I take a deep, calming breath and bring the instrument up.

Allah, help me through this.

**I'm gonna stop there cause I don't want this chapter too long. Over three pages. Wow…**

**Anywho, here's hoping you all review. Do you like how I characterized Ratchet? Do you like Mali? (Was her little section a tad confusing? It was supposed to be.) What do you all think of Rishi? Any ideas on the first time he and Ratchet actually meet?**

**Review please.**

**:)**

**Laters.**


	5. Chapter 5

**OH MY GOD! THANK YOU ALL!**

**Sorry, had to get that out of my system, but I'm serious. Thank you all for reading and giving your input on this little story. Funny thing: this is the only story that I do not plan to create into a crossover. Wei8rd. Yes, I meant to put that 8 in the middle of weird.**

**I'm feeling crazy while listening to "Death of Me (Guillotine Remix)" by Red. But I won't bug you about the details of my momentarily awesome life. Drake!**

**(What?! Oh…Foenix Nightshade does not own Ratchet & Clank. Are you sure it's Insomniac who does?!)**

**[YES!]**

**(Alright, they and their world belong to Insomniac, I guess.)**

**{Now read, before I decide to kill you.}**

**That is uncalled for, Nightshadow.**

Ratchet's Perspective

When the next performer gets up on the stage, I can't see him. I catch a color, sandy white, and the fact that he is small. Just a child. Then I hear Mali say, "That is my friend up there, now." Okay, now I'm curious. Just who is this kid? Is it the same I encountered yesterday? The color seems right, and I haven't seen anyone else like it.

I move to stand behind Mali and find myself staring up at the stage…too stunned for words. "I guess I forgot to mention to you," Mali says. I look down at her, surprised. "My friend is a Lombax like you." Yeah, that is a tad important, kid. "Sorry. I tend to stay away from the more private thoughts."

"It's fine." I look back up at the stage. A small Lombax, coal black stripes and sandy-white fur, probably no older than eight, stands on stage, tail twitching nervously. Stage fright, not unusual. He has a wooden instrument in his left hand; his eyes roam the audience. Weird… his right eye is green, but the other is a purple color. He finally relaxes as he sees Mali in front of me. Mismatching eyes on her, he brings the instrument up and begins to play.

The first two notes are drawn out and slow, but as the second fades, he begins to play a swift, light, and merry melody. The audience seems pleased. A few even begin to dance along with the music. The young Lombax keeps his eyes on Mali the entire time, keeping them half closed as he lets the music lead him.

Mali suddenly seems alarmed. "Be careful, Zanmi!"

I suddenly felt light-headed. Did it matter? No…not at all… Nothing matters…nothing but the music…

"RATCHET!"

Mali's Perspective

The second I feel Ratchet's mind change, I pull him out of the crowd and towards the edge of town. I have to snap him out of it, but how? Ah! Think! I am not advanced enough to dive into his mind and pull him out! What am I gonna do?! I should have known this would happen!

"Where are we going?" Ratchet asks me. He does not realize the problem. I really have to snap him out of it before he tries to go back. I know!

I skid to a stop, turn, move behind Ratchet, grab his tail, and literally bite him. "Yai!" Ratchet's mind is back to normal. Thank Allah…

I release his tail as soon as that occurs. I believe I will be a while getting fur out of my teeth. Oh, well, at least Ratchet is back to normal…for now…I hope that does not happen again. I might not be able to break it next time. Why must this be so frustrating?!

Ratchet's voice breaks me out of my mental rant. "Eh…Mali…? What just happened?"

"I cannot explain," I say. "In a way you would understand." He gives me a look that tells me he is not satisfied with my evasion of the question, but it is partially true. I should take him back to the Inn before anything bad happens. I do not want the riff-raff around these parts trying anything…

**I don't know what else to write…**

**[OH MY FLIPPIN' GOD YOU'RE HOPELESS!]**

** I know I am…**

**{If you make her cry, Malachi, I will kill you.}**

**(Of course she'll cry eventually. Did you not see what occurred earlier? Anyway, hope you leave a nice review, reader people. There was a huge debate on whether or not Ratchet actually saw Rishi. There might be a replacement chapter or just the next chapter where he doesn't actually see Rishi. What do you think? Thanks. TTFN!)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiya…thank you for your reviews…**

Rishi's Perspective

When my song finally ends, I look up to see Mali gone. I wonder where she went. I look to the rest of the crowd. They are all smiling. They look…genuinely happy. I feel the thrill of my own giddiness well up inside me, but I quell it enough to take a courteous bow towards their grateful applause. I wonder where Mali ran off to. I stand straight and walk back stage, where I see quite a few of the others smiling at me. I can't help but smile back.

_You did it again, Rishi!_ The sudden sound of Mali's voice nearly makes me fall over. Righting myself, my immediate thought is 'did what again?' _You let go, you idiot!_

Now hold on! _Just make sure it doesn't happen again,_ Mali says to me. _You nearly _**killed**_someone today._ Then she is gone, and I stare at the floor in shock. I nearly…killed someone? It has never gotten that far before. Has it really progressed that much in dormancy? Oh, Allah, what am I going to do?!

Ratchet's Perspective

Mali has managed to convince me to stay a bit longer. Who knows, I may even end up staying another night. I wouldn't mind, honestly. Clank shouldn't be back for quite a while, and I enjoy this place. Mali is good company, too. Right now, the two of us are just relaxing on the roof of a building, looking down into the busy streets. Mali is braiding her hair absently while I change focus from one person to the next.

A young woman carries a jar into a house. A handful of young boys are playing with slingshots in an animal pen. An old man sits in the shade with a wooden cup in his hand. _Now that…that's different_, I think automatically as I see something else occurring.

"That's Kairune," Mali says flatly, not even looking in the same direction. "Captain of the Guardians, and a scourge to all street kids."

"The Guardians?"

"Basically a police force, in your terms," Mali explains. "Kairune's taken in more of us than any of the other Guardians combined. He's been after that friend of mine for years." She smiles, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Not caught 'im yet. Speaking of my friend…" She rolls over and looks down into the street. "There he is now."

I glance in the same direction she is. Sure enough, the young Lombax boy is there, prowling around the carts and stalls. "He seems paranoid," I mention.

"We all are, I guess. It's hard for the Guardians to catch us on Festival days, but it's still possible. Especially at such a close distance." She stands up and stretches, yawning. "Well, it's getting kind of late. I'd better get back to the Tavern."

"It's not that late!" I say, looking up at her with surprise.

"You'd fall over in shock if you saw how many people came into the Tavern at this time of day. Everyone starts early so they can be out-of-their-minds drunk by dark." She shakes her head. "Fools. You know the way right?" I nod. She taps her head. "If you forget, just tell me. I'll give you directions. See you later, Ratchet."

"Later," I call back. She jumps down into the alley, and I don't see her again.

"Hey!" A young voice shouts suddenly. "Let me go. Let me go!" I look in the direction of the voice. Kairune has the boy by the scruff, holding him high off the ground. "Put me down!" Within seconds, the boy is on the ground, and Kairune is holding his hand, roaring in pain. That kid _bit_ him! Well, I don't blame him.

The boy runs off towards an alley. Kairune and six other men – I assume they're Guardians, as well – chase after him. I stand and, staying on the rooftops, follow to see how this encounter progresses. For about an hour, the kid is full of energy and constantly outsmarts the Guardians, insulting them relentlessly and angering them further. I find it especially funny when he manages to topple a barrel of some strange, sticky substance. It lands on one of the guards, and the boy seems genuinely surprised before he bursts out laughing.

The fun and games stops, though, when close calls become more frequent, a slip here, an obstacle, a blade cutting through his shirt. Now where have I seen this kind of situation before? Heh, I remember. Twelve years old. I managed to get myself caught by the local police force. If it hadn't been for my friend Bane, I'd be dead now, and I never would have met Clank.

A surprised shout brings me out of my reverie. The kid has run down a dead-end alleyway. He turns on a dime to head back the other way, but his path is already blocked. He starts to back up, searching for an escape route, as the Guardians make their way into the alley, blades at the ready. I look around the roof I'm standing on to see if there's anything I can use to help, but there's nothing useful to the circumstances. The boy has his back against the wall, growling at the grown men that stand over thrice his height.

Kairune walks up to the boy, the image of confidence and command, grabs the kid's scruff and tosses him to the ground, right in the center of the ring of men. "It's off to the dungeon with you, rat!" I hear Kairune say. The boy stands up, snarling. The captain seems unfazed when he smacks the boy, knocking him down. Obviously unwilling to give up (now who does that sound like?), he gets up again, only to have Kairune strike him down again. The third time he tries to get up, he only manages to get up on his knees before one of the men uses the blunt end of a sword to knock him out.

Before long, they take the unconscious boy away. I don't know where they are going, but I do know one thing.

**Ok. I bet you all know what's going to happen now. I am setting up a poll! Finally figured out how to make it visible on my profile. If you would, I want you all to guess how old Rishi is. By the way, secret-recipe chocolate-chip cookies to anyone who knows where I got Rishi's name from!**

**I can't wait for the next chapter! By the by, I gave Ratchet's "old friend" a name cause he's a bit important.**

**Okays! No more spoilers! And I gotta go!**

**(Also, Foenix Nightshade ****DOES NOT**** own Ratchet & Clank.)**

**Hope you all review! Have an excellent day.**

**Byee!**


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